3 ms·

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I didn't find an option to disable using Twitter's own shortening service? As an extreme example, I find http://t.co/gpRQitG http:

by relix 16y ago

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I didn't find an option to disable using Twitter's own shortening service? As an extreme example, I find http://t.co/gpRQitG http://t.co/gpRQitG less informative than http://youtu.be/oHg5SJYRHA0 http://youtu.be/oHg5SJYRHA0. If your site is still only at 3 characters ID, unlike Youtube, having a custom shortened domain from which users can tell what it is, generally, what they're clicking on, is a much better user experience than using a universal shortener which says nothing about the content.

mortenjorck 16y ago
I know Twitter wants to have maximum trackability and extensibility for shortened links, but I think the best way to do it would be to offer a secondary API to sites that have their own identifiable shortlink domain. Instead of just building in the tweet button, a site could hook into a Twitter shortlink API, which would let Twitter run its analytics and implement future functionality while the site continues to generate URIs through its own youtu.be, flic.kr, etc. domain.
- relix 16y ago
  They could actually exploit it as a business feature. Make the flic.kr domain point to Twitter's servers, who implement the shortening service, and allow the business users to view lots of interesting stats, in relation with tweets. Stuff the business on its own could never gather without access to Twitter's extensive database of tweets. This way both win. Twitter could charge for it as well.
  - mortenjorck 16y ago
    That's... one of the best Twitter monetization ideas I've heard. It pushes Twitter's real-time social analytics value to businesses while obviously strengthening a company's brand on Twitter. If the Tweet Button catches on, it could be a very easy sell.
    - relix 16y ago
      Indeed, and they don't lose any of the analytic tracking data you mentioned that is now lost because businesses implement their own service. They actually gain a metric: popularity of custom shortlinks vs t.co's universal shortlinks
abraham 16y ago
From what I recall Twitter is planning on wrapping every single URL going through their system with t.co but include the youtu.be link in the status metadata when applications pull from the API. The youtu.be URL will be displayed to users but will be sent to t.co first then redirected to youtu.be.
- jalada 16y ago
  This is correct. Once clients adopt it (we do, at Twitterfall), this will in some ways improve how informative URLs are, as each tweet object will contain the actual URL the t.co link points to in the metadata, allowing clients to display that, essentially overcoming the 140 char limit. Of course, you are free to use your own ahortnener; the t.co link will redirect to shortened links too (adding another layer of redirection is a bit of a pain though)
- rradu 16y ago
  Seems so. TC has a post on how links appear with the new URL shortener - http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/12/tweet-button-urls/ http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/12/tweet-button-urls/
- relix 16y ago
  That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for correcting me.

by relix 16y ago

mortenjorck 16y ago

I know Twitter wants to have maximum trackability and extensibility for shortened links, but I think the best way to do it would be to offer a secondary API to sites that have their own identifiable shortlink domain. Instead of just building in the tweet button, a site could hook into a Twitter shortlink API, which would let Twitter run its analytics and implement future functionality while the site continues to generate URIs through its own youtu.be, flic.kr, etc. domain.

relix 16y ago
They could actually exploit it as a business feature. Make the flic.kr domain point to Twitter's servers, who implement the shortening service, and allow the business users to view lots of interesting stats, in relation with tweets. Stuff the business on its own could never gather without access to Twitter's extensive database of tweets. This way both win. Twitter could charge for it as well.
- mortenjorck 16y ago
  That's... one of the best Twitter monetization ideas I've heard. It pushes Twitter's real-time social analytics value to businesses while obviously strengthening a company's brand on Twitter. If the Tweet Button catches on, it could be a very easy sell.
  - relix 16y ago
    Indeed, and they don't lose any of the analytic tracking data you mentioned that is now lost because businesses implement their own service. They actually gain a metric: popularity of custom shortlinks vs t.co's universal shortlinks

abraham 16y ago

From what I recall Twitter is planning on wrapping every single URL going through their system with t.co but include the youtu.be link in the status metadata when applications pull from the API. The youtu.be URL will be displayed to users but will be sent to t.co first then redirected to youtu.be.

jalada 16y ago
This is correct. Once clients adopt it (we do, at Twitterfall), this will in some ways improve how informative URLs are, as each tweet object will contain the actual URL the t.co link points to in the metadata, allowing clients to display that, essentially overcoming the 140 char limit. Of course, you are free to use your own ahortnener; the t.co link will redirect to shortened links too (adding another layer of redirection is a bit of a pain though)
rradu 16y ago
Seems so. TC has a post on how links appear with the new URL shortener - http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/12/tweet-button-urls/ http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/12/tweet-button-urls/
relix 16y ago
That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for correcting me.